Aston Martin Valour Is a $2 Million Plaything for Stick-Shift Aficionados

An evolution of the one-off, 836-hp Victor introduced in 2020, the Aston Martin Valour is number two in a series of three bespoke V-12-engined Astons. Later this year, the track-focused Valiant—built to the personal specification of Formula 1 racer Fernando Alonso—will complete the trio. Masterminded by Aston Martin’s Q division, the marque’s special-vehicle and personalization task force, all examples of these collectible cars are already spoken for.

The Valour, limited to 110 units, is the least pricey of these specimens. The entry fee is about $2 million, and that’s before further customization, which includes a wide variety of colors and trim materials. In its most extreme guise, the two-seater boasts a fully exposed carbon-fiber body with a choice of red, blue, or green tint. In terms of presence, the new Aston receives full marks. But how does it fare when put through its paces on English back roads and by-lanes?

Although Aston has built nearly two dozen V-12 models over time, in recent years manual-transmission versions have been the rare exception. Now, the stick shift returns in these three limited-edition cars. The Valiant and Valour share the same engine too—a twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V-12. However, each sports a different tune. In the Valour, the quad-cam 48-valver puts out 705 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. Carrying a bit more weight than the new Vantage, 60 mph should arrive in under 3.5 seconds, and it’ll keep going until 200 or so mph. True, you might lose a tenth or two compared to a modern dual-clutch automatic, but that’s a price worth paying.

The polished-walnut shift knob—one of four finishes offered—feels good in the hand, but don’t push the lever forward too enthusiastically, lest you bruise your knuckles on the start/stop button assembly. The Graziano six-speed transaxle is a gem otherwise. Throw length is spot on, the gears are clearly defined, and the ratios engage with a reassuring clunk.

The V-12 jumps to life with a familiar roar before settling at a steady idle, one that’s more more subdued than expected. This 5.2-liter unit is a bull of an engine, spreading its peak torque all the way from a leisurely 1800 rpm to the lofty 7000-rpm redline. Between 50 and 75 mph, it doesn’t really matter whether you’re in third, fourth, or fifth—the throttle response is phenomenal at any speed. All the controls are perfectly weighted: The clutch combines quick pickup with progressive action; the accelerator connects whether you stab or massage it; the steering is light but always switched on; and the standard carbon-ceramic brakes are strong without being grabby.

With no digital idiosyncrasies or ergonomic complexities to distract the brain, you can give this car the stick from the get-go. Three driving modes and corresponding damper settings (Sport, Sport+, and Track) are activated via thumb switches on the steering wheel. Instead of the Valiant’s trick Multimatic adaptive spool-valve dampers, the Valour relies on electronically controlled adaptive Bilsteins. Its anti-roll bars are not the active type, active aerodynamic elements were deemed unnecessary, and the only wheel and tire size on offer is 21 inches. The Valour is a rear-drive affair only, but a mechanical limited-slip differential is included.

The Valour’s body is made entirely from carbon-fiber reinforced plastic, but the chassis is a mix of parts old and new. The car retained the torque-tube-and-transaxle layout, but the suspension carries bespoke calibration and geometry. Front and rear shear panels add reinforcement, as do a rear tower brace and a special fuel tank support. These elements maximize torsional and lateral stiffness for more precise handling characteristics while maintaining a ride quality that’s more 911 Turbo than GT3 RS. The steering is new, too, offering variability in both ratio and effort.

But back to the road—the Valour might not be overly heavy, but it is quite wide and rather long. On narrow country roads lined with frayed edges and potholes, the Aston’s precious honeycomb wheels develop curb rash faster than you can say a certain four-letter word. Steering precision is key on roads like these, and luckily, the Valour has that in effortless yet accurate abundance. In this car, you can grab confidence with both hands, even when Track-mode corner carving briefly turns to drifting on a damp roundabout. The firm dampers, taut springs, and stiff sidewalls of the Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tires determine the overall ride, which ranges from low-speed brittle to high-speed supple. The setup absorbs undulations with aplomb, but serious transverse irritations and pop-up patchwork surfaces can dent the line with a momentary wobble and a light tire shriek.

The Valour isn’t just great to drive; it’s also great to look at. The design throws back to the 1970s V-8 Vantage and its 1980 “Muncher” Le Mans spin-off. There are also some parallels to draw with the 1990s Virage-based V600 Vantage, in addition to the One-77 supercar, and, obviously, the recent Victor. “The idea was to combine contemporary technology with a butch and bold shape reminiscent of the James Hunt can-do-anything era,” explained chief designer Miles Nurnberger. Defining styling elements include a clamshell hood with a large horseshoe vent and two smaller NACA ducts, round LED headlights, a louvered backlight cover, boxed-out air vents, and an eye-catching triple-tailpipe exhaust flanked by two massive diffusers.

In contrast to its exterior, the Valour’s cabin looks reduced, almost barren. Carbon fiber and black leather are the dominant materials, but Q will be happy to fulfill special requests like our car’s tweed upholstery, which mimics the seat fabric of the 1959 Le Mans–winning DBR1. Driver assists such as a head-up display and the usual spat of assistance systems are conspicuous in their absence. The electric seat adjusters are still found on the transmission tunnel, the secondary switchgear is scattered about, and there are no large displays or touchscreens. Many Astons tend to be a tight fit, but the Valour is spacious enough inside to swing a couple of baby tigers. The carbon-fiber seats will be baked to measure, and upholstery choices range from generously padded leather to no-frills racing buckets.

True, $2 million is a lot of money, even for the most exclusive transportation appliance, but the Valiant will be at least $300,000 more expensive still. The Valour is a piece of art that is clearly worth the price of admission for its 110 future owners. Regardless of investment potential, this car is most definitely not a status-only poser; it’s a true sports car that delivers on both the boulevards of vanity and any given back road. What makes it special—beyond the haute couture body and personalized trimmings—is its super-sweet manual transmission and the way driver and controls interact. Other supercars may be faster, or they may be pioneers in electrification and digitalization, but few, if any, offer a more involving and emotional experience behind the wheel.

Source: Reviews - aranddriver.com